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Regeneration
Introduction This section is very closely tied to the ability, Regeneration, though this section contains a more detailed look at how it works within the SnBverse. All shapeshifters are capable of speedy recovery when it comes to physical damage, less so when it comes to certain illnesses. Although this section is called "Regeneration" much like the ability that bears its name, a more accurate term might be "healing factor" as werewolves do not regenerate in the same sense as some reptiles or echinoderms. In most situations, shapeshifter healing is merely a sped-up form of commonplace healing and only begins to take on supernatural aspects for those that have lived long enough to develop the ability to restore some limbs and organs, which do take time and their reformation isn't without risk or lasting damage. As with most things zooanthrope, recovery is burdened with hunger and a metabolism equal to that of their were form even while in human form. In an ideal environment, the injured werewolf should be required to eat a small meal once every hour until fully recovered. Naturally, protein is the most preferable, and the body will crave red meat during this time. Thus, any werewolf who is susceptible to Eclipsing may need to take adequate precautions during this period. And the more severe the injury, the more severe security should be as a response. Medication, first aid treatment, and healing spells can be employed to further speed recovery, keeping in mind that medications such as painkillers may need to be increased or administered more frequently depending on the werewolf's metabolic rate which is nearly always accelerated. Transforming from one form to the next can increase healing by half. Small wounds, such as cuts and abrasions will heal entirely when shifting, while others may need more time. It is inadvisable to shift back and forth between forms more than once (not that quickly cycling through forms is even possible considering the individual needs a fairly significant time to recover between each shift), however, as the energy required to do so will affect the rate of recovery, as can be expected. The werewolf is more likely to collapse from exhaustion before they are to heal. Base Healing Basic Healing Factor generally affects most forms of lacerations and contusions with speed dependent entirely on the severity. Considering when the healing begins, embolisms are extremely rare in lycanthropes but, as in mortal subjects, stands an increase in occurring if the wound is severe or if air is purposefully driven into the body somehow. Small cuts and scrapes will heal within a few hours. Deeper cuts and more severe bruising can take a day or two. Massive contusions and lacerations such as those that cut to the bone or may run a high risk of embolisms forming may take nearly a week to fully regenerate. As in humans, depth, quality of treatment, and whether the injury has been repeated can result in scarring. It is also important to note that werewolves can and do obtain infections though they are more likely to recover quicker than any human - they can become just as sick. Though rare, some have even been known to die from their injuries as wounds can be inflicted faster and with more severity than their healing factor can cope. Some more devastating wounds can even hinder transformation altogether until the individual has healed enough to permit it. It is important to care for injuries inflicted upon a werewolf as one might a human - with proper first aid - even with a werewolf's accelerated healing factor, as the formation of scar tissue can make transformation difficult, among the other inconveniences associated with scar tissue. Breaks and sprains may still require being set before healing can begin and this must be done quickly, especially if the individual intends on transforming anytime soon. The broken bone stands a chance of healing improperly if adequate first aid is not applied. Sprains will heal faster than breaks, which may depend on the severity and type (stable fractures versus compound fractures versus oblique, etc.). Naturally, anything that has broken through the flesh will require far more time to heal than something that hasn't. In the case of fever, werewolves are perhaps more susceptible than other creatures, as their threshold for damage as a result of inflated body temperature is technically lower when compared to most others. A typical resting temperature for a werewolf is 100 degrees F in human form, and during transformation, one's internal body temperature can raise as high as 107 degrees F, but will quickly cool to 102-103 once the form is settled. Understandably, a werewolf's body is far more suited to higher temperatures than a human. Their tissue is somehow more resilient. This is also why they are able to withstand more severe external temperature changes. However, this also means that if a werewolf were to contract a fever, their body temperature will also raise significantly which will still put these tissues at risk of deterioration. Anything higher than 106 for an extended period of time will begin to damage and destroy cells, especially those of the brain. As can be expected from a creature whose resting temperature is roughly 100 degrees, the risk of this occurring is direr than it is in a human. Appropriate steps should be taken to decrease a feverish werewolf as soon as possible. First and second-degree burns will typically heal without any problems and will take as long as any mid-sized laceration or contusion (so roughly 1-3 days). Given the method of damage to skin cells, however, scarring is more likely to occur. Third-degree burns will take much longer to recover from and will depend a lot on the expanse of the wound in regards to recovery. Three to four weeks is the average, and even then some redness may remain. Nerve damage is also more likely as well as severe scar tissue - just as it is with humans. It is also possible for werewolves to recover from fourth-degree burns depending on where and the size of the damaged area. But this may take an entire month to heal enough for the individual to become fully functional. As in third-degree burns, nerve damage and scarring is a certainty. Shock is also a possibility even in lycanthropes, though dying from shock is far less common when compared to most humans. It is still important to treat or, if possible, to prevent going into shock. How Healing Factor Affects Body Modification Given that werewolves essentially shed and regrow skin cells every time they transform, tattoos will fade or blur much quicker than they will on humans. Similarly, piercings will also begin to heal almost immediately after being administered with skin beginning to grow over studs or other placeholder jewelry a few hours after the puncture. If a werewolf isn't careful, a whole new layer of flesh will have overtaken their earrings in the span of a day. Other body parts such as nipples and eyebrows may take a day or two longer. It is possible to maintain the initial piercings through repeated openings but this isn't considered safe or sanitary. To counteract this, any ink or metal used by the werewolf for these purposes must be infused with some amount of silver. This doesn't have to be a significant amount and may depend on the individual werewolf's resistance, but the effect will result in longer lasting tattoos and piercings. Side effects, however, can include a feeling of weakness, nausea, and soreness in the affected area. It may feel like a "cold" burn at the site of contact and this will last for a few days until the body becomes acclimatized. If there is too much silver, however, necrosis may occur along with severe bouts of nausea, vomiting, weakness, body ache and other things associated with silver poisoning. Typically, the individual will know almost immediately if there is too much silver in the mixture as soon as it makes contact with their skin. Any individual obtaining a tattoo or piercing needs to inform the person performing it on them and a small area should be tested before the actual procedure. This should be done only at werewolf-approved body modification parlors. Not just to avoid suspicion, but because these places will have the supplies needed to make it possible. Though rare, some humans are allergic to silver in a similar manner as werewolves, after all. But not every place is capable of accommodating them. Some types of piercings may require very little care, while others may be of much higher maintenance. Think about how the obstacle would affect the surrounding tissue when it's being changed to animal form - does it grow in thickness? How far would the skin be stretched between the ends of the tunnel? If this exceeds the size of the type of jewelry being worn, it will tear the skin and potentially cause problems. How would your character avoid this, or would they justhave it re-pierced after every shift? An individual may need to return time and again to have their tattoos and piercings redone or retouched though this is true even in humans. With the introduction of silver, they will need to visit their body modification artist with the same frequency. In the case of piercings, however, they will eventually become permanent. Body modification through scarring is, while certainly more painful, is more common in the lycanthrope community, and tattoos can be inflicted this way, even if using the appropriate kinds of ink. Again, some silver may need to be used in order to keep the ink in place longer. To this end, it is understood that even scar tissue will eventually heal given enough time. Naturally, this depends on the depth, expanse, and severity of the scarring. Massive third-degree burns, for example, may take upwards of 30-40 years before very little of it can be detected. The Nature of Defaulting This is a topic of much debate in the lycanthrope world, but many experts agree that it does indeed have something to do with the individual's perception of their Self. This is allegedly why some surgical operations such as sexual reassignment are possible - though definitely more complicated - in lycanthropes. As in humans, the appropriate hormonal cocktail and consistent lifestyle change must be practised for some time before the actual surgery can take place and its effects maintained. Cosmetic surgery can be performed in the same way but cases of this are few and far between. Typically, an individual's body will try to revert to the standard of health or image it was before being infected or turning as if the memory of this is withheld in their very cells. It is therefore theorised that why werewolves even age has more to do with the development of the brain and the changing perception of one's identity than it does with biology. Most cosmetic surgery is therefore considered temporary and after repeated shifts, the body will have begun to make attempts to revert to its state before the alterations had taken place. It is therefore generally understood than anyone with severe abnormalities as a result of injury merely give it time, as they will eventually heal to a state relative to what they were before, even if it make take a few years depending on the level of severity. The only exception to this is in the case of amputation or a severe enough injury to incur lasting damage as a result of scar tissue formation or deformed regrowth. It is speculated that the trauma of the injury itself may also be what causes the limb, area, or organ to regrow incompletely or malformed, but this has yet to be determined through study. Amputation Cut limbs or severed organs (such as a kidney) take an extremely long time to regenerate to full functionality (see Rank 3 of Regeneration), and even then the limb or organ, in particular, may be somewhat deformed or different from when it was first severed. Nerve damage, expressed as chronic pain, numbness, or palsy, is very common. Time spent regenerating depends as much on the complication of the item itself as it does the size. Eyes, for example, can take upwards of ten years to come back completely. They may be discoloured and vision may be distorted or hardly existent given the amount of scar tissue that may have developed alongside the organ's rejuvenation process. Naturally, it should be noted, that any organ required for the body to function such as the heart, liver, or brain, if removed, will, of course, result in death. Areas in these organs can be damaged and recovered, however, so long as it does not affect the overall functionality of the body and no complications occur in the healing process that could result in a worse condition or death. Limbs or organs removed using a particular process that typically involves the use of silver tools stands a very good chance of never healing. Limbs will take on the characteristics of whatever form the rest of the body is in at the time. A wolfborn will still have a human arm in human form and will have a werewolf arm in werewolf form. Abnormalities taken on by regrown limbs are as follows: * Weakness * Numbness * Tingling * Palsy * Altered physical appearance and accompanying handicap (i.e. missing fingers) * Improper regrowth of muscle tissue resulting in disability * Discoloration * Rare but possible chance of mutation related to lycanthropy such as claws, excess hair growth, paw pads, size different, etc. Teeth and Bone Loss As werewolves grow and regrow fangs or endure alterations to other dental formations during transformation, they are therefore capable of regenerating teeth and healing some amount of bone. Both of these, however, take double the amount of time as soft tissue regrowth. Losing an entire tooth may take two to three weeks to regrow fully, faster if repeated shifts are involved. Chipped or damaged teeth, however, will not regrow, as the entire tooth must be severed from the nerve in order to stimulate the healing reflex. If a section of bone is removed, then it will gradually regrow, taking up to a month or more to fully regenerate depending on the amount. Bone removed at the joint however, can take years (See Amputation). Diseases and Illnesses Due to the nature of the healing factor in werewolves, diseases such as cancer can metastasize fairly quickly. Or it can get caught in a perpetual cycle of damage and healing. However, each time this process is repeated, the damaged cells will be duplicated time and again, therefore something like cancer will eventually win out, essentially overloading the system, and the subject will die as a result. This is why cancer is probably the most common terminal illness seen in shapeshifters as there is always a chance of a cell or two mutating after a healing cycle and subsequently reproducing every cycle thereafter. The same basic understanding can presumably be applied to other diseases. For things like viruses or bacteria, a werewolf's immune system generally reacts faster than a human's, which often ends in the offending organism being eliminated even before it has a chance to infect more than a few cells. If a werewolf already has a terminal illness before contracting lycanthropy, it is a gamble as to how their system will react. This can depend on something as seemingly incongruent as one's mental state - their perception of Self (which is thus far largely a theoretical factor), or, more likely, what stage they are in their illness' development. In later stages, they may grow worse quickly and may maintain this level of severity for some time before finally dying. In others, they may make a full recovery. Pre-existing Conditions Lycanthropy is not a cure-all for pre-existing conditions. Some illnesses, diseases, or infections that could presumably be cured through other means may be cured through the contraction of lycanthropy but conditions as a result of genetic or general physical abnormality cannot be altogether healed. Someone with poor eyesight or even blindness will not suddenly develop perfect vision upon becoming a werewolf despite an increase in the quality of hearing or olfactory senses. If an individual suffers deafness, particularly as a result of physical damage either as a result from a severe, childhood injury, or genetic condition, they will not regain hearing. Deafness or blindness as a result of a recent infection from a virus or bacteria could definitely be cured as a result of becoming a werewolf, however. As mentioned above, some illnesses can even be made worse through lycanthropy. Metabolism Like humans, the rate of metabolism can vary slightly from individual to individual with factors including things such as genetics, physical health, and werespecies. Generally, however, metabolism is significantly more advanced than it is compared to most humans, and perhaps an even greater mystery than how rapid transformation is even possible in shapeshifters is how their bodies are able to maintain themselves with a near-constant need for sustenance. Most werewolves need to eat anywhere from six to eight times a day, sometimes more. And each meal should be rather abundant in meat protein, fats, and carbohydrates - a typical carnivore diet - in order to keep up with the stringent physical demands of being a werewolf. It is rarely possible for shapeshifters, particularly those based on a species that is primarily carnivorous, to maintain a vegetarian diet. Furthermore, it is impossible to maintain a vegan diet as such. If one is determined to be vegetarian, they should endeavor to do the proper research while also intending to on occasion supplement their diet with meat protein in order to keep up with their body's needs. A lack of proper nutrition will eventually trigger an Eclipse, as a starving werewolf is a slowly dying one, and the Other's main instinct appears to be the prevention of death or harm to both themselves and their human variant. This is often why werewolves will immediately launch into an Eclipse after shifting as most of their body's reserves are used up during the tedious process of transformation. With repeated shifts however, the body does learn to be more efficient in its use of energy, which is why older, more experienced, shapeshifters are thought of as having more control over their Eclipsing even after shifting. Overall, for any zooanthrope, planned shifts are better than spontaneous ones, if only because it gives the person a chance to prepare with sufficient nutrition and hydration which combined, make for a much more bearable overall experience. Drinking ample amounts of water particularly during the full moon or when one is planning on shifting often is essential. Dehydration is, not only uncomfortable in general, but can also make shifting longer and more painful. Werefolk based on desert species have perhaps a bit more wiggle room in this area than those who aren't, given their systems are presumably better designed to handle extended periods of inadequate hydration, but a responsible werewolf should drink at least 2 litres of water before and after a shift to maintain good health. Lack of proper nutrition and hydration can also manifest in an individual's general behavior. They can become irritable, agitated, depressed, moody, lethargic, and physically ill. They will lose weight and body mass fairly rapidly. Shifted, their fur make lack lustre or thickness and their skin can appear pale, dry, and flaky. Severe dehydration can result in foam forming around the jowls and a dry nose. Perspiration As a side note, werewolves do in fact sweat, yet another important reason for them to maintain hydration. Most furred wereanimals will sweat through their noses, tongues, paw pads, arm pits, inner thigh, and elbow and knee joints - basically where fur tends to be thinner or sparse. Sweat can also accumulate on the brow and around the jaw on some shapeshifters. Perspiration can result in a potent scent, however, with many describing it as very similar to that of a bear or horse, depending on the individual. Werereptiles, once transformed, sweat very little. Their pores are usually overgrown by scales or thickened skin. It is therefore imperative that they seek a source of relief in hot weather as werereptiles are not actually ectothermic even if they enjoy a good sunbath. Many species will perspire through their joints or where the skin is softest or scales thinnest. Werebirds, however, in most cases will "sweat" which serves as both a cooling mechanism but moreover a way to distribute oils for waterproofing feathers. Some species, however, do not have these oils to distribute, their perspiration dries quickly leaving behind a fine dust. Werebats, having thinner fur than most other werefolk, perspire normally, even along their wing membranes, and can also use their outstretched wings to distribute heat and cool themselves.Category:Lore Category:Regeneration Category:Healing Factor